Chapter 89

Maggie is standing in front of me, clutching a vase of flowers in one hand and a yellow smiley-face balloon in the other.

“Hi,” she says. Her cheeks are tinged pink. Her posture is stiff.

She’s adorably sheepish and my heart melts into a puddle. Instantly, the waterworks are cued.

“Maggie.”

I scramble to sit up and push my tray table out of the way. She rushes to me and throws her arms around me, still holding the bouquet and balloon.

The string gets tangled around me. She tries to yank it away, smacking me right in the face with the balloon, while the vase tilts in her hand.

“Shit!” She quickly rebalances the flowers, but lets the balloon go flying from her hand.

We both burst out laughing.

“That didn’t go exactly the way I’d planned,” Maggie says, grabbing for the string as the balloon hits the ceiling. “I’m awkward when I get nervous. Sorry.” She ties the balloon around the vase and sets it onto the table.

I wipe the tears from my eyes. “Don’t be. I’m glad you came.”

“Karin,” she says. “I’ve been so scared for both you and Ansel. I’m so glad you’re okay.” She sits down in the chair next to me. “And I’m - I’m so sorry about before.”

“No, I’m sorry. It was me. I messed everything up.’

She shakes her head. “I should have supported you.”

“And I should have listened. You were telling me the truth, but I didn’t want to hear it.”

Maggie looks down at her lap. “I wish I had been there with you that day, to protect you.” Her eyes are shiny with tears.

The smiley-face balloon dances underneath the air vent.

I smile at her. “They wouldn’t have known what hit them.”

“Damn straight,” she say, grabbing a tissue. “I’d fuck them up.”

We’re both giggling. She wipes her eyes with the tissue.

“I’d love to see you take out Cherry,” I say.

Maggie stops mid nose-blow. “That bitch?”

I nod.

“Oh, I will fuck her up,” Maggie says.

Despite the darkness underneath it all, I’m smiling from ear-to-ear, feeling ten times lighter than I have in a long time.

Maggie clears her throat and shifts in her seat. “How’s Ansel?”

I plummet back to earth.

“And,” she says, “Was it Cherry who - who hurt Ansel?”

“I don’t think so,” I say. “It’s a long story, but I was there because she wanted to help him - in a really twisted way.”

The sound of the door opening catches our attention.

“Hi, can I come in?” Henry peeks his head in.

“Yeah.”

Henry looks worn out. There are dark circles under his eyes. He hasn’t shaved.

“You two okay,” he asks, glancing at our red, tear-stained faces.

“We’re okay,” Maggie says.

Henry startles when the intercom overhead makes a static sort of buzz.

“Code white,” says a man over the intercom. “Third floor. Code white.”

“Any change with Ansel,” Henry asks.

“They don’t tell me a ton of details, but Doc said this morning that he made it through the night, and that he’s stable today.“

“That’s good,” Maggie says.

I keep looking at Henry. He seems edgy and Ada doesn’t like it.

“I think they’re most worried about what happens when they get him off the ventilator,” I say.

“I was hoping to see him,” Henry says, “But they’re still not allowing visitors, except for family, I guess. I went up to his floor and someone said that King David is here today.”

“I was wondering if the King would be able to come to see him,” Maggie says. “I don’t think his health is good at all. I heard that he’s bedridden now.”

“He’s been getting really frail,” Henry says. “It’s a good thing the election is coming up soon. We just need Ansel to bounce back.”

Henry crosses his arms and stares out the window. Ada growls at him.

“Hopefully, he’ll pull through,” Henry says.

My body is tense. I’m filled with Ada’s nervous, angry energy.

Maggie scratches her shoulder. “You healing up okay?”

I swallow and try to focus on Maggie, instead of Henry, but it’s hard. Ada keeps drawing my eyes back to him.

“I’m done with my IV antibiotic and they’re kicking me out today. I’m just waiting for them to be officially discharged.”

“Do you need somewhere to stay,” Maggie asks.

I glance over at Henry. He’s leaning against the wall and seems lost in thought.

Ada doesn’t want to play Mission Control. She jumps into the pilot seat.

“I’m going to stay with Ansel,” Ada says, through me.

Henry looks over when he hears Ansel’s name. My heart starts beating faster.

“Will they let you,” Maggie asks.

“Yes,” Ada says, staring straight at Henry. “I’ll be here until he wakes up, and until he’s out of the woods.”

“I’m glad,” Maggie says. “It’s awful to think about him being alone.”

Henry straightens and turns to Maggie. “We should probably head home.”

Maggie stands and gives me a hug. “I’ll see you soon,” she says.

They walk out. Henry closes the door, letting it click behind him.

What’s the deal, Ada?

I’m shaky with adrenaline and I don’t even know why.

You have to keep him away from Ansel.

Ada’s restless and bristling with anger.

Roger, Houston. But why?

‘Because we can’t trust him,’ she says. ‘He’s hiding something.’

I don’t think they’ll let me stay continuously at Ansel’s bedside, but maybe Doc can help with that. And If that doesn’t work, I’ll camp out in the waiting room.

I change into a green dress Joy left for me. Maybe she’s helping me manifest money with her. I tighten the tie around my waist, deciding that I’ll lay down to get some rest. I’m exhausted from last night.

I only got a few hours of sleep and the bit that I did just zapped me more. The energy it takes to enter or manipulate dreams is immense.

I’ve just laid down when a nurse comes in. He removes my IV port and I’m officially discharged.

“Let’s get you back home,” he smiles, ready to help me into a wheelchair to escort me downstairs.

“Actually,” I say. “I’m going to go upstairs to see Sir Ansel.”

“His room and the whole floor are blocked off right now for security.”

The pace of my heart quickens. I hope security isn’t there because something is wrong. “For the King, right,” I ask.

“I’m not really supposed to say.”

“Well, I’ll wait.”

The nurse opens his mouth to argue, but I push past him.

“Hang on,” he says, following me.

I ignore him and walk quickly down the hall ahead of him.

“Miss,” he says.

I’m striding past the nursing station. I see Doc and screech to halt, just as the nurse catches up to me.

“Doc!”

“You ready to go?” Doc comes around from the waist-high counter. “I’ll be your driver today. Joy’s waiting on you back at her place.”

“Is there any way I could stay with Ansel? I don’t want to leave him.”

“They’ll make an exception for you if I ask,” Doc says. “But I can promise you, you’re not going to get much rest if you stay - and rest is what you need right now. You’re still recovering, Karin.”

“I know it won’t be super conducive to sleep,” I say.

And I also don’t have money to buy food while I’m here.

“But I don’t want to go,” I say.

I can’t. Not if Ada thinks Ansel’s not safe.

Doc nods. “I understand… Come on, I’ll walk with you.”

We head up the elevator. My head is swirling, wondering about Henry and why Ada’s feeling so concerned about him.

The elevator ‘dings’ and the door opens. We step out together.

The floor is lined with guards.

Doc gets us through, and we make our way to the nursing station close to Ansel’s room. My chest begins to feel tight.

Please, don’t let him see me.

As soon as I’ve uttered my little silent prayer, Edwin exits Ansel’s room looking absolutely thrilled.

Ada snarls and I have to struggle to keep her in check.

Down, girl. There are a million guards here - and witnesses.

Ada takes it down a notch, but she remains on-guard.

A servant comes out of Ansel’s room, pushing a sick-looking man in a wheelchair.

It’s the King.

Looks like Maggie was right.

He’s very thin and his face is gaunt. With his hollowed out cheekbones, he resembles a skeleton more than a man.

His eyes scan over those of us gathered near Ansel’s room. I look down, quickly, to avoid attracting his attention. I wish I could shrink out of sight. I feel his gaze and lift up my eyes.

“You,” he says, pointing his bony finger towards me.

I freeze.

“I want to talk to her,” he barks at his servant.

Years later, body failing, and he’s still mean.

His servant brings him over closer to me. Doc bows and I curtsy. Doc seems to be holding his breath in shock, and I feel as though a million-beam spotlight is on me, as everyone in this space, including Prince Edwin, is watching us.

“What are you doing here?” King David coughs into a handkerchief.

“I’m here to see Ansel,” I say.

He stares me directly in the eye. A shudder goes down my spine. I know what he’s thinking, but we both know he can’t say it aloud.

I can’t let him get me alone.

I don’t know if he’s still powerful enough in his current condition, but what if he is?

My heart races.

“Leave,” he says in a low growl.

It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. I see the wolf beneath him.

“You’re barred from this place. I’ll see to it now.”

My stomach lurches.

“No,” I say, panicked. There’s some rustling about and gasps that I’ve dared to defy him.

King David snarls and bares his teeth. Two guards come and grab me by the arms.

“Please,” I say.

If I’m gone, what happens to Ansel?

“This is uncalled for,” Doc says, his voice small and quavering, his body trembling.

I’m filled with love for Doc, but I’m pulsing with fear, too.

King David’s eyes dart back and forth as he processes. I imagine what he’s assessing: Do nothing and risk looking weak, or haul off an aged doctor in front of everyone and appear cruel?

I know which one he fears most.

“Brave little beta,” King David says, his teeth gritted. “And royal physician, no less.”

Doc’s face is ashen. The beeps and whirs of the ICU floor seem to grow louder, as the rest of the floor hushes into uneasy silence, all other activity suspended.

“That’s going to come with a cost.”